Needle-case.



- J. S. GARDNER.

NEEDLE UASE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1'7, 1909.

Patented Feb; 1, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

fnvenfor. Ja m 5i dardner J. S GARDNER. NEEDLE CASE Arrmm'rmn FILED MAY 17, 1909.

947,967. Patented Feb. 1,1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Inven 5'07.

Joim

JOHN S. GARDNER, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

NEEDLE-CASE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OIIN S. GARDNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Needle-Cases; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to needle cases for holding and classifying sewing machine needles.

The object of my invention is to provide a needle case having compartment lids so arranged that only one can be opened at a time, and to provide means whereby all the compartments shall be automatically closed by the act of closing the drawer.

The invention consists in the improved construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter set forth and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure I is a perspective view of a needle case embodying my invention, the needle drawer open and the list board raised. Fig. II is a front elevation. Fig. III is a top plan view, partly in section, with certain parts broken away for exposure of other parts. Fig. IV is a vertical section taken on a line corresponding to line IVIV of Fig. III. Fig. V is a vertical section taken on line V-V, of Fig. II. Fig. VI is a broken away plan view of a portion of the lower drawer, open, the wall of the case being sectioned.

Referring more in detail to the parts The case proper comprises the side pieces 1, the back 2, the front 3, and the top 4. Within the case are two superposed drawers, 5 and 6. Above the upper drawer and carried thereby is a list board 7. The rearward edge portion of this board is attached by hinges 8 to a strip 9 (which may be of the same or different material), secured to the top of the drawer 5. On this board are displayed the names of sewing machines, the sizes of needles, and sizes of threads. The names of the sewing machines are so arranged that it is easy to ascertain the names of every make of sewing machine that will Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 17, 1909.

Patented Feb. I, 11W. Serial No. 496,553.

receive any particular style of needle. lVhen the drawer 5 is drawn out, the board 7 can be turned up, as shown, thereby exposing the reading thereon and also the covers 10 of the needle pockets 12. These needle pockets 12 are holes bored in a thick wooden plate or block 13, which fills the lower part of the drawer 5, excepting along the rear, where a space is left for a purpose which will presently appear. Extending from front to back of the drawer, between the rows of pockets, are a series of rods or bars 14;, formed with opposed longitudinal grooves (Fig. IV) adapted to receive the edges of cards or sheet metal plates 10 which form separate covers for each and all of the needle pockets. Said cover plates are slidable in said grooves.

Rigidly secured to the back 2 of the case, are push-pins 15, arranged in a horizontal row to engage the respective rear plates 10 in the respective rows. To pass these pins 15 the back of the drawer is notched, as shown at 16, Fig. IV. 011 each cover plate 10 is printed the designating characters of the needles to be carried in the corresponding pocket. When access to any particular pocket is desired the drawer is opened and the operator pushes back the cover plates 10 in the proper row to the rear of, and including the plate that covers the desired pocket. The space at the rear is just sufficient to permit only one pocket to be uncovered at a time. When the drawer is being closed, the rear cover plates strike the pins 15 and are slid forward, thereby restoring all the plates that were displaced, to their original positions. The needles (not shown) are to be stacked vertically and will project slightly above the block 13.

The lower drawer 6, is divided into several rows of compartments 17 adapted for holding bobbins. These compartments are provided with slidable cover plates 18 (see Fig. VI) identical or similar to the plates 10 above described.

By reference to Fig. IV it will be seen that the guides for these cover plates are formed by the upper edges of the partitions 22 that extend forward and back in the drawer. A lower set of pins 19 are employed for reclosing the covers 18. A large space 20 may be reserved in the lower drawer, as shown in Fig. IV. Any kind of small sewing machine supplies or attachments may be kept in this space.

21 designates knobs on the cover plates 10 and 18, by which said plates are moved to open position by the salesman.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters-Patent is 2- 1. In a needle case, a horizontal drawer containing longitudinal and transverse rows of pockets, parallel grooved bars secured in the drawer above the needle pockets and extending in the direction of the drawers movement, individual cover plates held slidably by said grooved bars, stationary abutments positioned to be impinged by the rearmost cover plates when the drawer is closed, thereby closing all the pockets automatically.

2. In a needle case, a horizontal drawer containing longitudinal and transverse rows of pockets, parallel grooved bars secured in the drawer above the needle pockets and extending in the direction of the drawers movement, individual cover plates held slidably by said grooved bars stationary push pins positioned to be impinged by the rearmost cover plates when the drawer is closed, thereby closing all the pockets automatically.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN S. GARDNER.

Witnesses MYRTLE M. JACKSON, E. A. CAIIILL. 

